Louvered window frame



1956 D. M. GROFF ET AL LOUVERED WINDOW FRAME Filed March 3, 1954away/4?? ATTORNEY United StatesPatent O LOUVERED WINDOW FRAME Dana M.Grotf and Charles S. Stanley, Tampa, Fla.; said Stanley assignor to saidGroif Application March 3, 1954, Serial No. 413,836

7 Claims. (Cl. 20-62) This invention relates to building construction,including dwellings and the like, and more particularly to openings orwindows for the passage of light and air, and

means by which such windows or openings. are closed or protected againstthe weather.

In relatively warm climates it is desirable to have windows or otheropenings with a minimum of obstruction, to permit the 'free passage oflight and air therethrough, or to provide full ventilation for theinterior of the building to which it is applied.

Windows or other openings have been provided with closures of variouskinds, such as solid doors, shutter or louver structures, awnings or thelike, to protect against the rain or inclement weather, but which can beoperated to permit substantially unobstructed ventilation or airflow.

With closures and other related devices previously in use, diflicuityhas been encountered in preventing leakage of air or water particularlyat the joints. This is true of structures having shutters or louvers,and due to such leakage and the lack of the desired Weather seal,- priordevices have been unsatisfactory.

It is an object of the invention to provide a frame [for a window orother opening and shutters or louvers for closing the opening in theframe and to mount the louvers in a manner so that they may be operatedto permit substantially unobstructed circulation of air but which may beclosed and when in such position provide a joint seal against theweather.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensivestructure capable of being easily manufactured from readily availablematerials which can be quickly installed with minimum effort andwithout. special tools or equipment. I

Further objects and advantages of the invention [will be apparent fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the drawings,wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective of a building illustrating one application ofthe invention;

'Fig. 2, an enlarged fragmentary side elevation;

Fig. 3, a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5, a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6, an enlarged detail section of an extruded louver holder.

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates a window frame of aluminum orother relatively inexpensive lightweight metal or otherweather-resistant material. Within the frame are mounted in spacedhorizontally disposed relation louvers of glass or other transparent,semi-transparent, or opaque material. The louvers are supported in theholders one at each end of each louver and pivoted near its upper end tothe side of the adjacent frame.

The invention further contemplates cooperating tongue and grooveweather-sealing portions on the holder and the frame which engage orinterfit in such a way that when the louvers are closed an effectiveseal against the weather is provided.

the front or forward portion of the louver.

In order to mount the louver and provide the desired cooperating weatherresistant interfitting of the parts, the holder is provided with a pairof channels disposed at right angles one to the other, one facinginwardly [for receiving the end of the louver and one facing rearwardlyfor receiving the reversely and forwardly disposed rear portion of theframe. These channel members may be produced in one piece by extrusionor may be formed of two members fastened together in any desired manner.Also the louvers may be connected to an operating link for gangoperation or operation of the group as a unit.

With continued reference to the drawing, a house is provided having awall 10 with a window or other opening in which is mounted a windowframe 11 having opposed transverse walls or side members 12 each with arear edge bent reversely upon itself and providing a substantiallyparallel forwardly extending wall 13 separated by a space 14 from thetransverse wall. The frame may be of aluminum or other desired materialpreferably lightweight and inexpensive and which will resist weather.

Louver supporting structure i mounted between the side members of theframe on pivots 15 such louver supporting structure comprising a holderhaving a front portion 16 (-Fig. 5) which engages the top or frontsurface of the louver and has a lower end supporting portion 17 (-Figs.3 and 6) disposed substantially at right angles to the front portion andwith the upper end of the front portion terminating short of themounting pivotlS. The louver holder also includes an end port-ion 18integral with but disposed at right angles to the front portion 16. Theend portion 18 is adapted to be disposed at the end of the louver whilethe front portion extends over The end portion '18 bears against themain body portion of the side member and is of a width sufiicient toextend into the recess 14 beside the reversely bent portion 13.

The holder has a rear portion 19 parallel to the front portion 16 andspaced therefrom a distance corresponding to that of the thickness of alouver 20 of glass or other material. The rear portion 19 of the holderhas forwardly and rearwardly extending flanges 21 and 22, the forwardlyextending flange being disposed at the end of the louver and therearwa-rdly extending flange being parallel to the rear-wardly extendingend portion 18 of the holder but offset slightly therefrom to provide arecess 23 for the reversely bent portion 13 of the window frame. Thefront and rear portions 16 and 19 are fixed together by rivets .24 sothat the parts are maintained in fixed relation and a groove or channelis thus provided for the louver and for the forwardly extending portion13 of the frame so that when the parts are in a definite relation thejoint between the fixed frame 11 and the movable louver holders isweather-tight.

The flange 22 has an extension 25 with an aperture 26 in which isreceived a pivot 27 carried by a link 28 for gang operation of theseveral louvers. The forwardly extending flange 21 is provided at itsupper end with a relatively .short flange 21 which extends over theupper edge of the louver to retain it in position against upwardmovement. The rearwardly extending flange 19 is upwardly off-set fromthe member 16 to provide a receiving notch or recess 18' for receivingthe upper edge of the succeeding lower louver, the supporting mechanismbeing so constructed that the louvers may seal against each other toform a tight joint.

The part just described provide channels at right angles but of twoseparate members. The combined sealing and holding member may beextruded as shown in Fig. 6. In this figure members 30, 31 and 32 formthe channel for the end of the louver and the member 30 extended and aparallel member 33 form a second or sealing channel. The remaining partsare similar to those previously described.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof, and therefore, the invention is not limited by that which isshown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only asindicatedin the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination a window frame having parallel side walls with rearedge portions reversely bent upon themselves and providing spacedsubstantially parallel forward extending walls, a series of louversbetween said side walls, supports for said louvers at the ends of thesame, each support comprising a holder with front, rear, top, bot-tomand end portions for receiving the end of the louver and rearwardlyextending spaced wall portions, and means pivotally mountingsaid holderthrough the upper part of said end portion so that the spaced wallportions will be "disposed on opposite sides of the wall formed by theadjacent reversely bent portion of the side of the frame and providing aweather-tight joint.

2. In combination a window frame having parallel side walls with rearedge portions reversely bent upon themselves and providing spacedsubstantially parallel forward extending walls, a series of louversbetween said side walls, support for said louvers at the ends of thesame, each support comprising a holder with front, rear, top, bottom andend portions for receiving the end of the louver and rearwardlyextending spaced wall portions, and means pivotally mounting said holderthrough the upper part of said end portion so that the spaced wallportions will be disposed on opposite sides of the wall formed by theadjacent reversely bent portion of the side of the frame and providing aweather-tight joint and a link connecting said holders for gangoperation.

3. In combination, spaced parallel wall members, a series of louversbetween said wall members, holders for the ends of said louvers, pivotsmounting said holders so that said louvers can be swung to open andclose the same, each holder and it associated frame being provided withinterfitting weather-sealing tongue and groove portions positionedrearwardly from said louvers.

4. In combination, spaced parallel wall members having reversely bentforwardly extending portions at their rear edges, a series of louversbetween said wall members, holders for the ends of said louvers, pivotmounting said holders so that said louvers can be swung to open "andclose the same, said holder comprising a plate having a forward portionfor engaging the front surface of the louver and a flat portion fordisposition at the end of the louver parallel to the said wall memberand of a width to extend between said wall member and the reverse bentforwardly extending portion of the wall member, said holder also havinga rear portion disposed parallel to the forward portion between whichand the forward portion the end of the louver is received.

5. In combination, spaced parallel wall members having reversely bentforwardly extending portions at their rear edges, a series of louversbetween said wall members, holders for the ends of said louvers, pivotsmounting said holders so that thelouvers can be swung to open and closethe same, each holder comprising a plate having a forward portion forengaging the front surface of the louver and a fiat portion fordisposition at the end of the louver parallel to the said wall memberand of a width to extend between said wall member and the reversely bentforwardly extending portion of the wall member, said holder also havinga rear portion disposed parallel to the forward portion between whichand the forward portion the end of the louver is received, said rearportion having a rearwardly extending part disposed in a manner tooverlie said reversely turned forwardly extending portion to form withthe first member of the holder a groove.

6. In combination a frame member comprising a first relatively fiatportion and a second portion extending reversely in spaced parallelrelation to the first portion, a louver holder comprising a channelforming structure for receiving the end of the louver, the end of saidholder being in engagement with said first relatively flat portion andhaving a rearwardly extending channel forming struc' ture at .rightangles to said first channel structure for re oeiving the reverselyextending portion of the frame to provide a weather-sealing joint.

7. A series of holders for louvers having channels for the ends of thelouvers and the holder for each end of the louver havinga rearwardlyextending channel member at right angles to the first and adapted tobear against and seal with a support "adjacent which the louvers aremounted, one of the side walls of said rearwardly extending channelmember being aligned with the end wall of said holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,551,590 Ferri May 8, 1951 2,565,447 Andresenet a1 Aug. 21, 19512,613,405 Moseley Oct. 14, 1952 2,635,306- Zankl Apr. 21, 1953 2,654,921Blanchard Oct. 13, 1953

